Annual Climbing Vines for Arbors and Trellises

These annual climbers will provide bursts of color and cool shade There are many benefits to growing annual climbing vines on your garden arbor or trellis rather than a perennial climber(s). While some perennial climbing vines can take years to produce blooms, annuals should unfailingly provide colorful, quickly growing blooms. Annuals would also satisfy an experimental gardener who enjoys the different appearances that metal or wood trellises may offer from one year to the next. An annual climber could also enable you to see how arbors and trellises look in different parts of a landscape without committing to the long-term needs of a perennial.

Here are a few usual and not-so-usual annual climbing vines that can be grown on garden arbors and trellises.

Morning glory

Morning glory is a low-maintenance, fast-growing vine that needs lots of sun but isn't picky about soil. The Heavenly Blue cultivar is the most well known, but other varieties are white, pink, and purple. Slow to bloom, morning glory will flower sooner if it's started early from seed indoors and then transplanted. You'll see more flowers if you avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer. A good choice for privacy trellises.

Balloon vine

Named for its green, balloon-like ornamental fruits, this woody vine is a fast grower, reaching heights up to 10 feet. Its flowers are small and white. A perennial in warmer climates, balloon vine is a popular choice for shade-providing arbors.

Spanish flag

Also known as firecracker vine, the explosive colors of this annual's flowers more than live up to the name. Spanish flag offers a medley of color, as its flowers start out red and fade to white, with oranges and yellows in between. Full sun is recommended. An ideal annual vine if you want a wood or vinyl trellis that radiates color.

Moonflower

Morning glory flowers in the morning, moonflower at night, so go with this twining annual if work or other duties occupy your daytime hours. Its creamy white flowers are larger than morning glory's. Moon flower actually flowers best in poor soil; consider using it with decorative metal arbors or wood arbors that can mask a trouble spot in your yard or garden. The moonflower you want is ipomea alba, not datura meteloides.

There are many, many other annual climbing vines that could provide shade or color with your arbor or trellis. Other annual climbers to consider include sweet pea, cardinal vine, cypress vine, hyacinth/Egyptian bean, nasturtium, scarlet runner bean, black-eyed susan vine, cup and saucer vine, climbing/twining snapdragon, Dutchman's pipe, canary bird vine, and mandevilla.